My First Smoker

[Ponks123]

I'm not sure I understand this part . . . I have grilled steaks, and smoked meat in sub-zero temperatures, and only a torrential downpour of hurricane-like proportion (or, "Spring" as the Scots call it) would give me pause. \s

As others have noted . . . congratulations, and enjoy.

Generally it is sub zero, windy and rainy apart from a few weeks in the summer.
As replied below I am going to try my best to smoke every Sunday, rain or shine.

 

[Ponks123]

A glorious FATTY!

There are many variations...stuff it with what you want. Basics are Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage in a bacon wrap. I use a one pound package of sausage flattened out in a gallon baggie, then cut the baggie open to fill and roll. Heart attack on a plate.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Sausage Fatty - Learn to Smoke Meat with Jeff Phillips

In this recipe, I show you how to make one of my most favorite smoked delicacies.. the bacon wrapped stuffed sausage fatty also called a Bacon Explosion.

www.smoking-meat.com

I just about always look when I'm cooking...you may just have to let it cook a bit longer. It won't ruin the cook if you look.

good recipe. one to block the arteries.
definitely going to try this one. i've got a great sausage recipe that I use every christmas. lets see what it goes like in the summer.

 

[Osborn Cox]

One thing to remember when using a smoker is that with the food "It's done when it's done". You'll get asked when it will be done constantly. You can't rush it and sometimes it might take a bit longer than you would like it to.

This is an excellent point and a lesson that took me some time to learn. The solution is to build in plenty of time so that the food is done an hour or two before you plan on eating, the bonus to this approach is that most cooks benefit from a nice rest wrapped in foil and placed in a cooler. A wrapped pork butt placed in a tightly packed cooler will still be too hot to shred with your hands after 3 hours, so feel confident that you can finish the cook early and keep it fresh until you are ready to serve it.

 

[eelhc]

Traditional English BBQ' are only cooked on the hottest days of the year. 3 weeks if we're lucky.
I intend to change that tradition. I'm going to start with every Sunday come rain, wind or snow.
Wish me luck.

Then there's this guy in Ireland... sweet setup.

 

[Ponks123]

Then there's this guy in Ireland... sweet setup.

quite a lot of negotiating with the family but an aspiration none the less.

 

[Merle]

Thank you for the heads up on the Pit Boss products and the Navigator. They sure did their marketing homework on that front page youTube presentation! As many have said quality metrics are a lifesaver. My suggestion is ThermoWorks, their "Classic" instant-read thermocouple is a food industry standard. I've tried a number of different wireless thermocouples and have come back to ThermoWorks and their "Smoke X" product. Same great quality and the transceiver set is solid, stable, and accurate. Everything else seems well covered, use the web, see something you like, and try to duplicate it. If you like, check out All-Clad if you want a durable and well-made BBQ toolset, it's another demonstration of you get what you pay for, and it seems like part of that is the name, but - even if you just looked at what they made and sought something from someone else you'll have a guide for equipment which will serve you long into the future. Oh, and remember, you need to find your 'signature' bbq'ing apron! Even if it's a Lincoln rawhide welder's apron!

 

[Ponks123]

Thank you for the heads up on the Pit Boss products and the Navigator. They sure did their marketing homework on that front page youTube presentation! As many have said quality metrics are a lifesaver. My suggestion is ThermoWorks, their "Classic" instant-read thermocouple is a food industry standard. I've tried a number of different wireless thermocouples and have come back to ThermoWorks and their "Smoke X" product. Same great quality and the transceiver set is solid, stable, and accurate. Everything else seems well covered, use the web, see something you like, and try to duplicate it. If you like, check out All-Clad if you want a durable and well-made BBQ toolset, it's another demonstration of you get what you pay for, and it seems like part of that is the name, but - even if you just looked at what they made and sought something from someone else you'll have a guide for equipment which will serve you long into the future. Oh, and remember, you need to find your 'signature' bbq'ing apron! Even if it's a Lincoln rawhide welder's apron!

Navigator coming tomorrow (hopefully) and I'm looking forward to it like you wouldn't believe.
As luck would have it, it was my birthday on Saturday and my family did me proud.
In addition to a rather lovely leather apron, Damascus all purpose knife, and rubs, they also got me an Ink Bird bluetooth thermometer. This is apparently the dogs doings in thermometers and from what I've seen it should do the trick.
The only thing I'm really really disappointed with is the fact that the smoker, thermometer and one of the rubs is MADE IN CHINA.
There are a number of reasons for buying an 'American' smoker; firstly I love the food. Secondly, I wanted to help out our cousins' economy rather than giving the work to the 'someone else'.
What is the matter with people who sell the American lifestyle then get the Chinese to manufacture it for them. I really wouldn't have minded paying a bit extra for the 'luxury' of US blue collar workers making it but now I will always be looking at the grill thinking it should have CCP written on it rather than Pit Boss.
I could go on and on about this but it's not only ruining my view of this BBQ I'm reasonably sure no one is listening.

Oh, BTW, my son bought me a custom cleaver and I bought myself a huge French cleaver from my very favourite local blacksmith.
So, not all bad.

Thanks for the heads up about the All-Clad stuff, i'll check it out now.